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Dark night

St. John of the Cross, based on Zephaniah 3:1-2,9-13, Matthew 21:28-32

Zephaniah 3:1-2,9-13

Ah, soiled, defiled, oppressing city! It has listened to no voice; it has accepted no correction. It has not trusted in the Lord; it has not drawn near to its God. At that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, my scattered ones, shall bring my offering. On that day you shall not be put to shame because of all the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. For I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord— the remnant of Israel; they shall do no wrong and utter no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths. Then they will pasture and lie down, and no one shall make them afraid.

Matthew 21:28-32

Jesus asked: “What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.”

Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

About Mr. Norm Laurendeau, O.P.

Norm Laurendeau was a lay Dominican and a semi-retired professor of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University who died in May 2012. He published and conducted research in the areas of energy and environment, with a focus of the use of lasers to monitor pollutants. He was a fully professed lay Dominican since May, 2006. While moderating the St. Mary Magdalene pro-chapter in West Lafayette, IN, he was instrumental in developing a lay preaching mission within chapter meetings and at communion services. He was also heavily involved in the science-theology dialogue, and explored the relationship between science and mysticism. In 2010, he chaired a conference on Energy and Religion for the Institute for Religion in an Age of Science (IRAS). Most importantly, he was married to Marlene Carlos Laurendeau, who is a social worker and spiritual director. They lived in Brunswick, ME, near where Norm grew up. They wintered in Berkeley, CA, near where Marlene grew up.